Country Pubs near Bishop’s Stortford

If you live in Stortford, you will know that there are some great pubs and bars in the town centre but what about the country pubs near Bishop’s Stortford? This blog post sets out some of the pubs I have visited in and around Stortford in Hertfordshire and Essex.

1. The Cricketers Clavering

This is one of my favourite pubs near Bishop’s Stortford situated in Clavering, right near Saffron Walden in Essex. It used to be owned by Jamie Oliver’s parents but has recently changed hands to The Chestnut Group.

With accommodation on site, The Cricketers is a popular place to stay in the countryside and offers delicious gastro pub fare. The menu changes seasonally – we had:

• Salmon Gravlax, prawn bon bon, rocket salad, lemon & caper mayonnaise
• 10oZ Shorthorn Ribeye Steak, semi dried tomato, triple cooked chips & peppercorn sauce
• Beer Battered Fish and triple cooked chips
• Dark Chocolate Delice

The food and service were both excellent – thoroughly recommended.

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 20 minutes / main courses from ￡17

2. The Fox and Hounds Gastropub in Hunsdon

The Fox & Hounds is a family run pub in Hunsdon, Ware, serving food with with rustic Italian and French influences. Given they have received a Michelin BIB Gourmand every year since 2012, it was unsurprising how good the food was.

The menu changes seasonally and offers a wide selection of starters, mains and desserts, with a fixed price menu on a Sunday. We tried the following dishes:

• Delica pumpkin & ricotta ravioli, spinach, sage & parmesan
• Roast rolled rib of Hereford beef, roast potatoes & Yorkshire pudding
• Crème Brulee

The pub has its own ‘Fox’ Shop offering local produce and a large garden terrace and gazebo. Food was excellent – the only thing letting it down was the service, which wasn’t the friendliest.

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 30 minutes / main courses from ￡18

3. The Orange Tree Gastro Pub in Sawbridgeworth

The Orange Tree is a gastro pub located a 10 minute walk from the centre of Sawbridgeworth showcasing the best of British cuisine. Service was incredibly friendly from the outset and there was a laid back atmosphere in the restaurant. We tried the following dishes:

• Salt & Pepper Squid, King Prawns, sweet chilli sauce (huge portion!)
• Provencal Vegetable Tart, mascarpone, goat’s cheese, pesto
• Lamb Chump served with beef dripping fries, tomato, garlic portobello mushroom and onion rings
• Chicken Kiev, fried duck egg (I chose not to have the egg), pancetta crisps, beef dripping fries
• Bailey’s Crème Brulee with a shot of bailey’s and shortbread biscuits (absolute bargain at ￡5).

The dishes were fresh and full of flavour and I look forward to trying more of the extensive menu with many items reasonably priced. Definitely one of the best pubs near Bishop’s Stortford!

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 10 minutes / main courses from ￡10

4. The Brewery Tap Pub in Furneaux Pelham

The Brewery Tap is situated in the village of Furneux Pelham in the Hertfordshire countryside. It’s a family friendly pub with a wooden play area, toy teepee tent and a box of children’s toys in the pub. They have a large garden area, a covered patio and two dining domes at the rear of the pub – a great space for a warmer day!

The food and service were excellent – we had the following dishes from the lunch menu:

• Saffron, chorizo and manchego arancini
• Crab Welsh Rarebit crumpet with crispy cockles
• Rare roasted sirloin of local beef, horseradish, garlic butter & rocket on toasted sourdough served with fries
• Basil & strawberry pavlova with crème fraiche chantilly cream
• Chocolate mousse cake, homemade marmalade, candied orange, crème fraiche ice cream

They also have an in-house food store selling fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, homemade sausage rolls, scotch eggs and quiches and baked goods. Easily one of the best country pubs near Bishop’s Stortford!

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 15 minutes / main courses from ￡10 (lunch) and ￡15 (main)

5. The Chequers, Matching Green

The main attraction to The Chequers pub near Bishop’s Stortford is its gorgeous, colourful courtyard dining area and separate terrace area.

We tried the following dishes:

• Salt and Pepper Squid with sweet chilli sauce – lightly crisp squid
• Mushroom and Truffle Risotto – an excellent starter!
• Pollo Impanato Al Forno – oven baked herb & parmesan crusted chicken with fresh spaghetti – two large chicken breasts so a great portion but the dish was quite bland

They also have mid week set menus for 2/3 courses which are under ￡20. We absolutely loved the ambiance and the service was great – we would return to try a different main dish.

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 20 minutes / main courses from ￡14

6. The Cricketers Arms, Rickling Green

The Cricketers Arms is an award winning country pub with accommodation located in rural Essex. They serve a selection of real ales alongside seasonal menus and have been awarded 1 AA rosette. You can dine in their pub area or choose one of their 3 private dining huts which are fully equipped with lighting, heating and comfy seating to be enjoyed all year round.

The dishes we ordered when we visited have changed given new seasonal menus but we enjoyed arancini with tomato ragu, chicken bao buns, a Korean spiced burger and a dark chocolate nemesis with chocolate sauce and ice cream.

They have deals on burgers on Tuesday’s, quiz and curry nights and live music last Friday of the month. With a relaxed atmpsphere and good service, The Cricketers is worth a visit in Rickling Green.

Distance from Bishop’s Stortford: 10 minutes / main courses from ￡15

7. The Crown Inn, Elsenham

The Crown Inn is a local pub in Elsenham with a garden area serving 12 hour low and slow smokehouse barbecue, steaks, burgers and seafood. We devoured their two meat roast (gammon & beef) with all the trimmings (including pigs in blankets) which was a good sized portion. Make sure you try their Biscoff Cheesecake – it was fantastic! The pub also has very reasonably priced deals on their lunch menu.

8. The Three Willows, Birchanger

The Three Willows is a traditional country pub in Birchanger, on the outskirts of Bishop’s Stortford. Serving great Sunday Roasts and with a huge beer garden for all to enjoy, it is the perfect place for a weekend walk and pint. The Roast Sirloin of Beef has impressed twice.

9. The Eight Bells, Saffron Walden

The Eight Bells is a 16th Century timber framed pub in the heart of Saffron Walden with delicious food and great service.

The menu changes seasonally so check the website before visiting. We had beer battered cod and triple cooked chips and an indulgent sticky toffee pudding with plenty of sauce!

10. The Catherine Wheel, Albury

The Catherine Wheel is another gem of a pub near Bishop’s Stortford in the small village of Albury. It’s been serving customers for over 250 years, since 1765! The pub has a large inside area with tables in the bar and restaurant area, as well as outdoor space at the front and rear.

The Sunday lunch was just excellent. There is a choice of sirloin of beef, leg of lamb, pork belly, roasted chicken breast and two vegan options. All are served with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower cheese and garden vegetables. The beef was so succulent and all the accompaniments were tasty. Make sure you save room for the Chef’s Chocolate Bombe of the day! Service was also very friendly.

11. The Hand & Crown Pub in Sawbridgeworth

The Hand & Crown is a 16th century inn just outside the centre of Sawbridgeworth and is the oldest inn in Hertfordshire! It was apparently popular with King Henry VIII and his then wife, Anne Boleyn! The inside is cosy with some intimate corners and they have dining domes outside, as well as a marquee.

What I loved about the menu was the ‘Room for Dessert’ portion which is a small main – just perfect when you can’t fit in too much. My fish and chips was a pretty big portion for a small! Other mains include Land & Sea Linguine, Grilled Sausage & Mash and Steak & Ale Pie. Food is reasonably priced and the outside area is great for the summer.

12. The Thatchers, Hatfield Heath

The Thatchers pub in the heart of Hatfield Heath offers great food and service. The pub itself is quite small so it is recommended to book. However its size adds to the cosiness of the pub.

The menu has standard pub classics but plenty of other choices including Sea Bass Fillet & King Prawn Coconut Thai Curry, Chicken Schnitzel and Korean fried crispy tofu. Their lemon and pepper scampi was the best I’ve ever had and the Sticky Toffee Pudding was delicious.

13. The Duke’s Head, Hatfield Broad Oak

The Duke’s Head in Hatfield Broad Oak has a beer garden at the front and back of the pub, including a covered area.

Serving British classics, there’s plenty of choice including burgers, fish & chips, lamb koftas and salmon fillet. The desserts were the stand out with an indulgent sticky toffee pudding and summer berry crumble. A lovely pub on a summer’s day in the garden.